Just Adele

I would like to share with you all a little something that helps me unwind after a long day, or even after a short day. Her name is Adele Atkins, better known simply as Adele. Her voice is soft like a calm wave of the ocean, yet the words that pour from her mouth let you know exactly how she's feeling. In my opinion, she is everything you need to hear for the next 3,426,761,549,154,087,560,237,965 hours of your life. But enough about that, sit back and relax as you listen to one of the best musicians that has ever lived.
 Adele-Rolling in the Deep

The Perfect Little Get-A-Way

The past few days have just been terrible for me (regarding things that do NOT need to be mentioned!); they just haven't been stacking up to the usual greatness my days seem to acquire. Usually. Anyways, I've been trying to get this bad juju out of my mind and have been hanging out with a few of my favorite people. Friday night we watched a movie (Hamlet 2, if you really wanted to know!) and I fell asleep watching it, snuggled next to Tommy in his warm and cozy bed! When the movie was over he woke me up so I could go to my bed and off I went to fall back asleep immediately in my own cold and lonely bed. I drifted back to sleep easily and peacefully. Honestly, a bomb could have gone off next my head and I would not have woken up (probs because I would have died, but you get my point!).

The next morning I awake to a familiar face/voice saying my name. As I smile (realizing now who this person is and wondering how I managed to do this in my morning grogginess), I am then asked if I would like to go the beach. Mind you, it is the beginning of January and I do NOT live in Hawaii. I live in Charlotte, NORTH Carolina, and for those of you that don't know NC all that well, Charlotte is nowhere near the ocean. Finally realizing what I was just asked I then exclaimed, "WHAT?" Tommy then said, (yes that was the beautiful voice I awoke to!) "Yes, the beach! Gayle (another friend who happens to have a car) and I were up talking last night and decided it'd be fun to go!" So how would I pass up an opportunity like this?! We would be going to Wilmington (A place I had never been that was about three and a half hours away!). Give me an hour and I'd be ready! So Tommy, Elizabeth, Gayle and I all got ready to go off on our day adventure. 

We drove and drove and drove until we had reached our destination. Fantastical. The wind was cold and slapped at our faces, but the sight was new and seemed make my eyeballs squeal with excitement. People were actually surfing! Yeah, you heard me right! Surfing in the cold ocean in January. Crazy people. Regardless of these crazy people, we flew the kite (mostly Elizabeth and Tommy. Gayle and I dodged the deathtrap of a string attached to the thing). We also watched the kite, which was quite high in the sky, plunge into the ocean as if it had simply had enough and couldn't deal with being in the sky anymore and found its best option quickly and tragically. After retrieving it, we took a walk on the pier (can you believe they charge you to walk on the darn things? I mean seriously! I thought we lived in America?! The LAND of the FREE?!?!?! It was only a dollar, but still!). We spent the rest of our time walking around, seeing what was there and then ate at a nice Italian restaurant for dinner. The waitress explained to us that they make everything from scratch! Even their oysters! Which leads me to ask the question, "So they're in to the oyster breeding business?" Still not sure what she meant by that... oh well...

The car ride back was dark and quiet, leaving a satisfying nap to occur. A few hours at the cold beach tucked into my day and an experience that will last a lifetime... simply spontaneously perfect.
          

Breathing Deep

Today was my first day back in Charlotte after spending my Christmas break at home with my family. I woke up at 5:30 to start my day, followed by a six hour class, which left me with an empty afternoon. I decided I'd better clean up all my stuff I had so nonchalantly strewn all over my room last night in order for my mind to function properly (I have some C.D.O problems! And by C.D.O, of course I mean O.C.D). After that was over, I was still left with an empty afternoon... What to do... I wanted to go get a gym membership and go to Starbucks to get a gift card for a friend, so I threw on my coat, grabbed my purse and started on my way. I was still closing the door when I noticed the love of my life, Tommy, walking down the hallway on his way to work. I, of course, had to stop and say hello. I then decided I would wait on the gym membership and ride the trolley with him to work. We waited for the trolley and talked about unmentionable things we did over break and then were quickly greeted by the city's free transport system. We continued our conversation until it was our desired stop where we parted our ways. I said goodbye hoping to see him after he got out of work, and headed to the nearest Starbucks. I ordered a tall Peppermint Hot Chocolate (yummy!) and immediately burnt my tongue as I do almost every time I get Starbucks. I walked out of the building and headed to one of my favorite spots in Charlotte called "The Green" (it's a little park currently home to the seasonal ice skating rink). I passed several homeless people (for some reason I noticed them being in the masses today), some asked me for money, others stared as I carried about my business. I had planned to drink a majority of my hot chocolate while at the park, but somehow the cup was practically empty by the time I got there (like I said, it was quite yummy!). I sat down and quickly finished what was left and started to take in the beauty of the city. I grabbed my camera and started snapping pictures of whatever caught my eye, walking in a giant circle around my usual spots. 

Around "The Green" there are several literature references, one of the main reasons for making it my favorite spot!

Also at "The Green", a sign portraying "Charlotte's" in the world and where they are in relation to Charlotte, NC. (There really isn't a Char"lette" Michigan, but there is a Char"LOT" Michigan).

Looking down the street next to the Mint Museum and Knights Theatre

My new adopted church, St. Peters. Another one of my favorite spots...

A little piece of the fountain at the Wells Fargo Plaza, located not far from "The Green"

Part of the Epicenter

 I walked past everything with a new eye, taking in everything I've continued to walk past day after day. I began to take in the unique architecture surrounding me and the statues that seem to dance throughout the streets. I completely lost all track of time and realizing this almost an hour later (mind you, I'm walking around Charlotte by myself and the only one who knows that is working), so I check my phone to see three missed calls and a few text messages. Everything but one being from my friend Danielle. So I called her back to find that she too was in Uptown with another friend of ours, Phil, at the new Panera Bread. I was only a couple blocks away, so I headed on over to meet them. I found them sitting in a booth and caught up on the last two weeks and we then we continued to walk around the Queen's City. 

I shared with them my journey around our home, and we then decided to take an extended trip through the buildings of Charlotte (the buildings are connected by breezeways over the streets). We discovered new shops and poked around for awhile, taking pictures of anything and everything. We even saw a celebrity while walking around!!! Fantastico!!!

Look! It's R2-D2!!!

 Long story short, my day consisted of nothing but capturing what I could with my eyes. Everything that I saw was familiar, but completely new in a sense... Sometimes in life we need to take a moment to see what's really surrounding us. If we don't, we are simply going through life blind, letting our feet carry us right through opportunities that shouldn't be missed.

Walking in a Winter Wonderland

Outside my window lies a white blanket of that cold powder most people hate. I, on the other hand, love it! It started falling on Christmas morning while I was talking to a friend on the phone. I screamed in delight when I saw it! Amazing! My first white Christmas in four years! It didn't stop falling until late last night, and while I heard the groans from my parents, I couldn't stop skipping!!! SNOW SNOW SNOW!!!! It fell with grace and landed everywhere it could. Can you say a wintery heaven? I took my three dogs outside to play with them today, only because when we lived in Michigan, we would literally have them pull us around on our sleds in the snow and well, they loved it! So today, the little bro and I threw snowballs for them! Much to our delight, they would chase after them only to find more snow! It was really a mean trick, but a funny one at that. Sadie, our old border collie acted as if she was a puppy discovering snow for the first time. 

Sadie (our 9 yr old border collie) running through the snow!

Sadie has always felt the need to eat the snow as if she's going to make it all go away. Unfortunately, this always makes her have to pee a lot more than usual, which leads to her eating more snow. It's a vicious cycle. Today, I watched her chase around flying snow balls and dive into the snow after them as if she was going to find the snow ball still in tact. Silly dog! Salem, our yellow lab pranced around in the snow at first, not wanting her precious feet to get too cold. She desperately wanted to join in the fun, and reluctantly gave in. When she was younger, she could have easily been lost in this white blanket covering our three acres, but now that she's become more of a yellow lab, she's getting easier to spot! She too would run after the snow balls; however, she showed less intensity than good ol' Sadie! 

Matthew trying to get Salem to come off the driveway and play in the snow as Sadie goes to eat more snow in the background!

 My little dog, Guido (a rescued Jack Russel), on the other hand, decided it was too cold for him to play in the snow. He wandered around next to Sadie for awhile only to return to me shivering and giving me that irresistible puppy dog face. I had no choice but to pick him up and put him in my jacket while I carried him back to the house! Silly little dog!

Me keeping Guido warm

As I snapped pictures of anything and everything, the dogs followed me around, covering themselves in snow and exploring the forbidden woods. We don't usually let them wander through the woods, but I figured I'd give them the rare chance as long as I was there with them. We walked behind the house and crossed the creek where they both ran up the hill and past the barbed-wire fencing someone put up long ago. Sadie peed every two minutes and then continued to eat away the snow. Salem wandered aimlessly, sometimes into bushes and often times she would shove her face right down into the snow (Wasn't this the dog that wouldn't go and play in the snow at first?). Eventually, I was getting to the point where my finger couldn't press the button on the camera and figured it was time to go inside. I whistled for the dogs and they came charging back up to the house. I went inside, made my brother and I some hot chocolate and then I started a fire in the fireplace! The perfect end to the perfect day! :)

Jason Mraz-Winter Wonderland! Love this version!

Christmas Time

Every year, my grandparents have a big Christmas celebration at their house, complete with two Christmas trees, trains, a ton of food, and you betcha, lots of snow. All the family comes over to eat and open presents. Aunts, uncles, cousins, boyfriends, girlfriends, and whomever else shows up to see each other before the big day. My grandparents have 7 children and I'm not sure how many grandchildren (last time I checked, I think it was around 30, but I could be way off!), and now we're even adding great great grandchildren into the mix. This massive family Christmas party has been going on for as long as I can remember, probably longer than I've been alive. Every year, I would go over a day or two before to help my grandparents decorate (my favorite part has always been setting up my grandpa's trains! they're amazingly cool!), cook (dilly casserole bread... yummmmmmmmm), and whatever else they needed me to do. The family would then trickle in and the festivities would begin. 

One of my favorite parts of Christmas!

However, about four Christmases ago, my parents and I moved away from Michigan and our family Christmas, to North Carolina. Not exactly the half an hour drive to grandma's anymore! And since our big move down south, Christmas seems to have lost something. There's no more giant piles of snow, no more grandma reading her Christmas story as we grandchildren gather around her on the floor, and no more setting up the trains. With my older brother and sister starting families of their own and not returning for Christmas, well this year seems to be out of place, and the last three years seem to act as prelude to the years to come. Times are changing and I guess no one really realizes that until traditions fizzle out. But have no fear, Christmas is still special to me nonetheless. While I may not be able to partake in it as years past, I still have the memories of those that I could and the ability to create new Christmas memories to last a life time.  

Loving What You Do

Throughout life we all go through doubts about whether or not we made the right decision. What if I can't do this certain career day after day? What if it was my destiny to do something else? Of course, going to a school where your major is so defined from the beginning, I have asked myself these same questions several times. Today, however, I was reassured about my decision. Monday I have to take my practical for meat cutting. It involves both a written portion and skills portion. We're supposed to cut up a chicken in 20 minutes using a certain cut. In class I was able to do a terrible chicken in about an hour and a half. Not exactly "A" material. Our school offers programs to come and practice whatever you need to on a Friday, so guess what I did today! I went and cut up four chickens! Having a very self-esteem boosting day yesterday (I cut a very beautiful rabbit and rack of lamb, not to mention made sausage and packaged it while talking in a British accent!), I walked into the kitchen with confidence. I looked at my first chicken, took my knife in my hand and began cutting away. It took me awhile to do, but it was the best job I've done since I started cutting chickens two Tuesdays ago. I then took my second chicken, feeling even more confident, and did probably the worst job ever. It could have been because people were watching me very intently, but I'd rather not make excuses. I was being helped by older students that were giving me tips on how to make it easier on myself. And while it took me about an hour to cut the worst chicken ever, all the while I stood there excited and determined to get it right. I wasn't the best, but I was trying to be the best I could be. It reminded me of playing lacrosse (another passion of mine) and how I would stay after practice to work on my stick work or my shots on goal. Often times I was left standing outside in the cold with a couple balls, but I did it because I loved doing it and I wanted to do it. 
Standing there with the same excited intensity I played lacrosse, I started in on my third chicken. A much better job with very clean cuts! All I needed was to improve my time. 20 minutes is all we have in class, so I timed myself. Today, I cut a very clean chicken in 24 minutes. It was the best I have ever done. And there were even people watching my every cut. Excuses, I think not. So Monday, I will be cutting a beautiful chicken in 20 minutes flat. ;) 
As for my decision to become a chef, I know I made the right one because I'm happy every time I pick up a piece of food. I love being able to create something with my bare hands and then handing it to someone so they can enjoy it too. If your smiling and having fun, you know you're where you should be.

Standing Under my Own Cloud of Rain

Lately, I've been feeling a little under the weather. After talking to my mom on the first day, I was concerned with having diabetes, a disease that runs in my family and is a possibility. Day two, feeling worse and acquiring a sore throat, I thought that I had mono. I visited a friend over break who had mono, so it could have been mono. Day three was the ever dreadful Monday and I was supposed to go to my meat cutting class, but felt too terrible, so I spent my day sleeping. I finally woke up and went to the school nurse only to find out that I had a virus! And while most people would say terrible, I say yay! I am not a diabetic nor do I have mono! I'm just sick! Go for the silver lining! 
But I did find out something I've been dealing with for a long time. I've been having food allergies for quite some time, I just never knew what they were. I knew it had something to do with the oils used in the food and sometimes I have problems eating cereal. Not to mention anything remotely close to fiber means problems are on their way. Mentioning this to the nurse (thinking it would help her solve my loss in appetite), she then informed that I may have a gluten problem. GLUTEN FREE DIET HERE I COME! Just not too fast because it's hard. :) I'll let you know how that goes...